The Atlantic’s Media Diet series asks well-known people how they deal with what seems like an overwheleming amount of stuff to read.  Here’s how David Allen responded when asked what he reads.
 

David Allen: What I Read

How do people deal with the torrent of information pouring down on us all? What sources can’t they live without? We regularly reach out to prominent figures in media, entertainment, politics, the arts and the literary world, to hear their answers. This is drawn from a conversation with David Allen, author of the New York Times bestseller Getting Things Done and founder of David Allen Co.

I have one of the more non-traditional schedules so the only thing I do regularly is wake up. And even that’s questionable. But the first thing I typically do is open my iPad to The New York Times, read an article or two on the front page and then check out the Dining & Wine or Business Day section. 

For magazines, I just love The Atlantic, and I’m not just saying that. I get the print edition and the digital version on my iPad and I often read each issue cover to cover. I also love The Week in print because of its expansive and in-depth take on the week’s events. Every so often I’ll get through The Economist but that’s usually only when I’m in travel mode.

Click here to read the full article.

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David Allen talks with Bloomberg about technology and email protocols. A great 5-minute overview about the frustrations people are dealing with around email and some ways to deal with it.

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David Allen interviews Evan Taubenfeld, a rock musician, writer, and producer. It’s a fascinating look at how Evan uses GTD in his creative process. It’s available for download now on the David Allen Company podcast page.

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David Allen: Getting Things Done Interview – Getting your Startup Under Control: Business

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“If it helps your business. If you can do business better, something there that is worthwhile and useful. I think a combination of underlying principles and practical applications.”
- David Allen, interviewed in Fast Company.

David Allen, Author of “Getting Things Done,” by Kevin Ohannessian in Fast Company

Has productivity changed as technology has evolved, from the utility of iPhones to the connectedness of Facebook? We continue our examination of the business book Getting Things Done with an interview of author David Allen.

Why do you think the book was so successful and resonated with the business world?

I think people were hungry for a model that was hip enough and current enough to deal with the kind of world everyone was in. Most of the other models that had to do with time management or personal organization or any of that all had good stuff, but most of it was way too structured for the speed and volume of change that people were dealing with.

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TechCrunch TV’s Andrew Keen recently conducted several interviews with David Allen.  This entertaining segment starts out on the topic of how to get things done in American government, and then moves to other points of interest for GTD fans.

(The video is streaming from TechCrunch TV, so you may need to give it a moment to load.)

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Lots of interesting nuggets in this new interview recorded by Andrew Mason over at the 8BIT podcast.  David answers a wide range of questions, including if he personally procrastinates.  Here’s an excerpt from the interview:

“The ability to make a creative mess, I think, is the optimal state to be in terms of your productivity, creativity, and it’s just a cool place to be.”

-David Allen

Listen now (about 20 minutes)

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Vacations enhance productivity, according to David Allen, quoted in Karen Leland’s column on Huffpost Business.

What’s your plan for a summer vacation? Or is it a staycation for enjoying your home? And how connected will you be to work, while you’re on vacation?

How Vacations Help the Business Brain

In exactly 12 days, I will be going away on a 10-day vacation. The thought of this impending time off from the daily in and out of work exhilarates me — and worries me.

On the pro side is the anticipation of rest, renewal and relaxation. Weighing in on the negatives are preparing to go in the first place and a heavier workload when I return. 

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You’ll find a great selection of free GTD podcasts with David Allen and his senior staff available here.

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David Allen discusses key GTD principles for increasing performance and being productive while avoiding the trap of getting bogged down with emerging technologies. This is a video interview on Live Digital with Shelly Palmer. The segment with David begins at 10:08.

(The video is streaming from Live Digital, so you may need to give it a moment to load.)

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